Trio of tech startups hop in the Digital Sandbox
June 21, 2016 | Bobby Burch
A trio of tech startups have entered the Kansas City-based incubator Digital Sandbox KC.
Led by entrepreneur Jeff Shackelford, the incubator welcomed Flokk, Routine Success and Tapyness into its program.
Digital Sandbox invests up to $25,000 in area businesses for specific projects that help the firms secure additional funding. The organization has now supported 73 proof-of-concept projects in 2015.
Here’s a bit more on the three startups entering the program:
Flokk created a social event platform that connects people to events and rewards. The platform also analyzes data and content to connect event organizers to sponsors. The platform offers proximity-based promotions, automatic checks, real-time analytics as the event is happening and a customer loyalty program. The funds will help Flokk accelerate tech development of its app platform.
Routine Success enables parents of children with ADHD and autism build digital routines to assist their children throughout the day. Routines are delivered to the child through a discreet, “watch-form-factor wearable” that cuts costs of other hardware. The Sandbox funding will help the company prototype a product.
Tapyness created a quick survey platform to help businesses capture consumer feedback as they’re leaving a location. The surveys aim to offer businesses more insight on customer feedback. The Sandbox funds will help the company with app and dashboard development and beta testing.
Since Digital Sandbox’s 2013 launch, the organization has funded 73 projects, helped launch 27 new businesses, enabled the growth of 247 jobs and spurred $22.7 million in follow-on funding. The program is funded in part by two i6 Challenge grants from the Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration, as well as universities, private companies and KCSourceLink.
Digital Sandbox welcomes applications on a rolling basis and evaluates startups every eight weeks. Launched in February 2013, the Digital Sandbox KC has worked with more than 300 entrepreneurs and early-stage companies across the metro area. Visit www.digitalsandboxkc.com for more information.
Featured Business
2016 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Limited edition: Champ System carries sports apparel from the field to Westport
When the choice came down to quick, easy money or grinding out his own brand, Maurice Woodard played the long game. His payoff comes Saturday with the grand opening of Champ System’s first brick-and-mortar ChampZone storefront in Westport. “You’re going to look different because there’s such a limited amount that we’ll release,” he said, noting…
Photos: KC Coworking Day sings virtues of big ideas in startup spaces
KC Coworking Day is a celebration of people whose vision exceeds their circumstances, said Bob Martin. “If you’re an entrepreneur, and you have a vision, I hope your vision is so big that you’re uncomfortable sharing it with everybody — that there’s only a handful of people to whom you’re going to say, ‘This is…
Digital Sandbox startup Fast Democracy building non-partisan social database for tracking legislation
Today’s political climate demands not only a better-informed public, but accurate tools to help voters arm themselves with timely information, said Sara Baker, co-founder of Fast Democracy. The Kansas City-based startup — one of four early-stage businesses recently accepted into Digital Sandbox KC — aims to help people “touch their democracy” through its non-partisan web…
Tech Scouts: Your pitch ideas could help defend the US; Aug. 12 application deadline nears
The U.S. Department of Defense isn’t just bullets and bombs, said Jack Harwell. A five-day October event — “Encountering Innovation,” which is organized by the DoD and the Small Business Development Center’s Kansas office — gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch innovative solutions to a panel of the DoD’s “tech scouts,” said Harwell, advisor at…